Today we took a trip down to canal park to check out the cool little shops and eateries along the shore. We found a super cool (but super expensive) toy shop just like they had "back in the old days", you know the days before the big box companies came to town. And then just a few doors down was a candy and MN specialty food store. So we each picked a special treat and cheerfully indulged on the park bench. At the end of the strip is the canal with the lift bridge that raises for boat access to/from the harbor. As we were heading that way we heard the horn sound which signals boats coming into the canal, so we started running in hopes of catching all the action. To our somewhat disappointment it was only the little cruise boat passing through, so the bridge doesn't even lift all the way up and it wasn't really antything spectacular. But while we were there we caught the schedule and saw a real ship would be coming through in an hour. So we grabbed a bite at Grandmas and made it back out to the breakwaters to see the real deal. This time we got to see the bridge lift all the way up and stood front row as the "Quebecois" came crusing in from Toronto to pick up a load of coal. This thing was massive and to see it on the move up close was pretty cool. Since it was a Canadian ship, Brad gave a few hoots, and asked the boys "whose from Canada?" Riley named, "Nana, Papa, Sydney, Auntie Jodi, Uncle Mike, Auntie Lisa, Auntie Donna and all those other people". But they didn't really know that Daddy was from Canada... Dylan said "No daddy we're from Fargo." I had pointed out the little windows on the side as the sleeping quarters for the guys, and Dylan figured, they'd have to take turns sleeping so someone was always driving the ship... "we don't want it to crash into us mommy."
Canal Park is also where the lakewalk starts... its a paved path that goes for miles and miles up the north shore. Along the way there's tons of parks, picnic areas and points of interest to check out. To get you around they have this really neat family style bike buggy things that you can rent and we'll have to try out some day. They can accomodate 2-4 peddlers, with spots up front for kids to ride along. So when we're looking for a good workout, we can load the 3 kids and take it all in.
Today wasn't the day though, as it was rather windy. The breeze from the lake made it pretty chilly toward the end of our adventure so we didn't have any problems getting the boys head home. We were all worn out from the fresh air, and so napped time was great!
Once again there's so much we want to see and do, but once it warms up some more first.
May 24, 2008
May 23, 2008
Good News...
As I thought I was offered the job at St. Mary's Hospital as the emergency room social worker, but only learned of this by a message left on my phone. So I wasn't able to discuss the option of "better" hours and pay. Although I'm certain I'll turn down the offer simply because of the crummy hours, at least I should give it a try to see if they can offer me something else before completely ruling it out? I'll give them a call on Tuesday and see where it goes from there.
Anyway- thats not my good news. On Friday afternoon, United Way called me for an interview :-) I was totally excited, until they asked to do the interview June 5th (their pres is out next week)... but that's the week we have to be back in Fargo to close on the house and then the boys and I were going to be staying at my parents for the next 2 weeks. I openly shared we've got ends to tie up in Fargo and even though its not the ideal scenario the lady offered to do a phone interview instead. She'll call my Tuesday to confirm this. In the meantime I almost want to pop into their office or send them a picture to show them my face, so they can put a cute face with the voice when we do the interview. Definitely not because my looks would win them over, but this position entails some public speaking, so appearance makes a difference when hiring... I'd hate for them to think I'm an old haggard, unkempt looking lady. I'd rather they have the visual of a fresh, enthusiastic, and sophisticated woman :-) Blah Blah Blah
Last week I made some calls in search of daycare and then on Friday we went to check out a home daycare. Pulling up it looked great, and the lady herself was super sweet... but the house stunk of piss (2 little dogs and 1 cat), the kids were filthy dirty, and cartoons were on the whole time. I couldn't tell if they were dirty because of poor parenting or inattentive childcare. Even if it were the first, to clued me into her lack of cleanliness. Another sign of this was the fact that she had a 9 month old scooting around a cruddy floor, sucking on a very visibly dirty stuffed animal. (Bleh) The kids didn't really have their own area to play, just toys along the wall in the living room that housed that huge cartoon playing TV. Need I say more... this was a big fat NO! Unfortunately I'm too nice to just turn around and leave, so we had to stay along enough to seem interested and not rude. Thankfully I've got her number and she doesn't have mine. This certainly confirms my plan to stick with daycare centers for now.
Anyway- thats not my good news. On Friday afternoon, United Way called me for an interview :-) I was totally excited, until they asked to do the interview June 5th (their pres is out next week)... but that's the week we have to be back in Fargo to close on the house and then the boys and I were going to be staying at my parents for the next 2 weeks. I openly shared we've got ends to tie up in Fargo and even though its not the ideal scenario the lady offered to do a phone interview instead. She'll call my Tuesday to confirm this. In the meantime I almost want to pop into their office or send them a picture to show them my face, so they can put a cute face with the voice when we do the interview. Definitely not because my looks would win them over, but this position entails some public speaking, so appearance makes a difference when hiring... I'd hate for them to think I'm an old haggard, unkempt looking lady. I'd rather they have the visual of a fresh, enthusiastic, and sophisticated woman :-) Blah Blah Blah
Last week I made some calls in search of daycare and then on Friday we went to check out a home daycare. Pulling up it looked great, and the lady herself was super sweet... but the house stunk of piss (2 little dogs and 1 cat), the kids were filthy dirty, and cartoons were on the whole time. I couldn't tell if they were dirty because of poor parenting or inattentive childcare. Even if it were the first, to clued me into her lack of cleanliness. Another sign of this was the fact that she had a 9 month old scooting around a cruddy floor, sucking on a very visibly dirty stuffed animal. (Bleh) The kids didn't really have their own area to play, just toys along the wall in the living room that housed that huge cartoon playing TV. Need I say more... this was a big fat NO! Unfortunately I'm too nice to just turn around and leave, so we had to stay along enough to seem interested and not rude. Thankfully I've got her number and she doesn't have mine. This certainly confirms my plan to stick with daycare centers for now.
May 22, 2008
Well my big interview was today, and I kicked ass! The biggest challenge was finding something to wear. Clothes were flying out of the bins this morning as I frantically rummaged through them. looking for something "professional" to fit. If it wasn't the muffin top spilling out of my pants, it was my chest bursting at the seams and about ready to pop the buttons off my top. Thankfully I hadn't done my hair or make up at this point, cuz it was ugly. So, of course after all this scurrying around I was running late (totally my style). To make it out the door in time I had to put on my makeup while nursing Brady. (Very talented I know) Dylan and Riley were even Mommy's little helpers this morning. Dylan chased down Brady's sucky, plopped it in and kept him cool while I was ironing. And then Riley held my mirror (tried to any way) while I put on my make up. They even asked "what else I can do to help?" What sweethearts. They were rewarded with a little Scooby Doo action while I did the finishing touches.
A very quick drive to the hospital, sweet parking spot and adequate change for the parking meter, I arrived at 11:52 ready to knock their socks off. There were a few questions that I had to stop and think about, like "what would your supervisor say you need improvement on?" Ummmm yeah- didn't know what to say to this. Had she ever given me any real disciplinary action then it may have been easier to come up with something. (But I'm just so damn good ;-) So instead I had to come up some cheeseball response to answer their question. It was something to the extent of me having fault in not openly sharing my vast knowledge with colleagues and being a better teacher?! I really thought I was gonna strike out on this one, but thankfully the manager interviewing me knew what I was getting at and gave an example the really nailed it on the head. (bullet dodged) Otherwise I was on fire! Sssssss
I felt great and no doubts that they want to hire me, which is great right?!... Well after hearing of the hours they want (yes hours not pay) I'm totally not in for it. They are looking for someone to fill a part-time position (28hrs wk - SUPER!)...all good until they gave the shift schedule which would be 2:00pm-12:00am e/o weekend and then 4:00p-12:00a during the week to total 28 hrs a week. LIKE COME ON!!!! I want a life. I would never see my hubby, and as a family we really wouldn't function very well on those kind of hours. Sot thats a done deal... No THANKS!
Thankfully we aren't in a position where, I'd have to accept. So I'll knock this one off the list and hope that I get an interview with United Way next week. Its a position that I'd much rather have, and I'm certain the hours won't be ridiculous.
At least I got some practice.
A very quick drive to the hospital, sweet parking spot and adequate change for the parking meter, I arrived at 11:52 ready to knock their socks off. There were a few questions that I had to stop and think about, like "what would your supervisor say you need improvement on?" Ummmm yeah- didn't know what to say to this. Had she ever given me any real disciplinary action then it may have been easier to come up with something. (But I'm just so damn good ;-) So instead I had to come up some cheeseball response to answer their question. It was something to the extent of me having fault in not openly sharing my vast knowledge with colleagues and being a better teacher?! I really thought I was gonna strike out on this one, but thankfully the manager interviewing me knew what I was getting at and gave an example the really nailed it on the head. (bullet dodged) Otherwise I was on fire! Sssssss
I felt great and no doubts that they want to hire me, which is great right?!... Well after hearing of the hours they want (yes hours not pay) I'm totally not in for it. They are looking for someone to fill a part-time position (28hrs wk - SUPER!)...all good until they gave the shift schedule which would be 2:00pm-12:00am e/o weekend and then 4:00p-12:00a during the week to total 28 hrs a week. LIKE COME ON!!!! I want a life. I would never see my hubby, and as a family we really wouldn't function very well on those kind of hours. Sot thats a done deal... No THANKS!
Thankfully we aren't in a position where, I'd have to accept. So I'll knock this one off the list and hope that I get an interview with United Way next week. Its a position that I'd much rather have, and I'm certain the hours won't be ridiculous.
At least I got some practice.
May 20, 2008
I've got an interview
So I've been putting it off, but this past weekend I saw a job opportunity that I should apply for. St.Mary's hospital is looking for an emergency room social worker, so I submitted my application/resume online late last night. When doing so I noticed that the application deadline was April 28th, but since I had just saw it in the paper I thought what the hell and applied any way. So when the phone rang this afternoon I was completely caught off guard as the Human Resources rep asked me for an interview. It hadn't even been 24 hrs since I submitted my resume?! The gentleman on the phone started by saying "I am very interested in your experience and your over all resume." :-) So I'm going in on Thursday for an interview.
I enjoy working in Healthcare, and know the ER is an exciting place, but also know what bad things come through an ER, so I'm not sure what to think about the position? I guess I've got nothing to lose, and with be back in the work force, that puts us one step closer to getting out of this townhouse. (Its hard to guess what you can afford when you don't know your total income).
In a way I kind of feel bummed, because I was looking forward to the summer off with the boys. If offered the job, maybe they'd compromise and let me start after the 4th of July (summer mid point). We'll see, lets just make it through the interview first. I suppose I'll have to shower Thursday, and dig through my work clothes to see what'll fit. Oh yeah, I better brush up on my interviewing skills too, as its been awhile since I've been in the hot seat. What Pressure!!
Wish me luck...
I enjoy working in Healthcare, and know the ER is an exciting place, but also know what bad things come through an ER, so I'm not sure what to think about the position? I guess I've got nothing to lose, and with be back in the work force, that puts us one step closer to getting out of this townhouse. (Its hard to guess what you can afford when you don't know your total income).
In a way I kind of feel bummed, because I was looking forward to the summer off with the boys. If offered the job, maybe they'd compromise and let me start after the 4th of July (summer mid point). We'll see, lets just make it through the interview first. I suppose I'll have to shower Thursday, and dig through my work clothes to see what'll fit. Oh yeah, I better brush up on my interviewing skills too, as its been awhile since I've been in the hot seat. What Pressure!!
Wish me luck...
May 19, 2008
What a day
Today was one of those days where you just can't get anything accomplished. Last night was a long one, with Brady waking up more than usual, and Dylan peeing the bed in between getting up with the little one. I think I've been mostly awake since 2 am? So at 8:00 when Brad left for work, I had Brady finishing up a feeding, and Dylan eating Captain Crunch in bed with me. I dozed off and woke to all 3 boys in my bed watching cartoons. Hey it worked until 10:00 when Brady's diaper just couldn't hold out any more and I had to get up. I managed to throw in a couple loads of laundry before lunch but never did get around to folding them. After an exhausting battle to get the toys picked up, it was nap time :-) and for once in the last 2 weeks they all feel asleep at the same time, so I hopped back into bed and took a quick 30 minute nap myself. As much as I wanted to just stay in my jammies all day, I did have to shower and look extra nice this evening, because it was my big night out...
I went to dinner with the Twin Ports Mothers of Multiples at Baker's Island in Superior, WI (just over the river). This was the first time meeting these ladies, so I had to look my best and make a good first impression. After all this is my only connection to the outside world and therefore I needed to be accepted. A group of 15 women came out for eats tonight, and thankfully they all seemed pretty normal ;-) Although May is the last meeting until September there are occasional gatherings throughout the summer that will help me get to know them better. One thing that I've already found pleasantly different about this group, is that they fund raise very little (almost none at all)... very small/tight budget yes, but at least they focus more on the moms and aren't pulling you in 50 directions to try and make a buck. It will definitely be interesting to see how a group of 40 members fairs compared to the group of 130+ that I left behind in Fargo.
(Yawn) I'm back in my sweats, and the news is on, so it looks like its time to hop back into bed. I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow... I've got to make a trip to the grocery store with the 3 kids.
Hopefully the laundry fairy will have those clothes folded by morning.
I went to dinner with the Twin Ports Mothers of Multiples at Baker's Island in Superior, WI (just over the river). This was the first time meeting these ladies, so I had to look my best and make a good first impression. After all this is my only connection to the outside world and therefore I needed to be accepted. A group of 15 women came out for eats tonight, and thankfully they all seemed pretty normal ;-) Although May is the last meeting until September there are occasional gatherings throughout the summer that will help me get to know them better. One thing that I've already found pleasantly different about this group, is that they fund raise very little (almost none at all)... very small/tight budget yes, but at least they focus more on the moms and aren't pulling you in 50 directions to try and make a buck. It will definitely be interesting to see how a group of 40 members fairs compared to the group of 130+ that I left behind in Fargo.
(Yawn) I'm back in my sweats, and the news is on, so it looks like its time to hop back into bed. I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow... I've got to make a trip to the grocery store with the 3 kids.
Hopefully the laundry fairy will have those clothes folded by morning.
May 16, 2008
What a chunk
Mr. Brady weighs 13lbs. 13oz... He's in the 95% for weight and 60% for height. Every thing else is in check and he looks great. Unfortunately though he had 3 shots and a liquid vaccination yesterday, so the little guy was pretty uncomfortable last evening. It seems he slept it off, and is himself today. Our new pediatrician seems fantastic, and very relateable. She's 30 something and has young kids as well, so hopefully we've found a good fit.
That kid is getting milk made of gold, and its showing! I just had to take a pic of him in his diaper to prove it and will get it posted ASAP. I remember when Dylan and Riley were about 3 months old and I took a diaper shot of the boys to document their pudginess. Some of you may still have this photo, it was one I sent out with Thank You cards from their showers. The best are the rolls that stack up their little thighs. I wish I could go back to that moment in life where rolls upon rolls isn't a body image issue.
Yesterday after Brady's appointment I swung by a street that was having a bunch of rummage sales for a little break from the kids. The homes on this street were huge and gorgeous... so you'd think nice stuff at the sales, but it wasn't good at all, so I was disappointed. However I did have quite the experience at one of the stops which was a house sitting at the top of the hill. The street was at a very large incline, so much that the sliding van door just shot back when I pulled the handle. I wasn't so sure that it was even safe to park on that kind of incline, but everyone else was so I did. But I was sure to use the emergency brake as a back up.
On the way back to the van was when the view hit me... My gosh it was beautiful. This home had an awesome view of the hillside and lake. I'm finding that
most every where you go in this town, you can find a moment of beauty. This has really summed it up for me, that when looking to buy a house, its got to have a Lake view. Why live in such a beautiful city, and not be able to enjoy it every day of your life? Guess I better start saving now, because you certainly pay for the view. Even if its just a peak of a view from the attic window, at least I'd have a place to go and take it all in?! :-)
Finally the weather is nice around here... today is the second day in the 60's and boy does it feel great to breath that warm air. The boys love being outside, especially when they don't have to wear their jackets and hear me shout "pull up your hood" every 5 minutes. I'm super anxious to get out and stroll the Lake walk now that its warmed up. My mom is coming this weekend for a visit to our new home, and Duluth for the first time. I'm excited to have another adult around the house, and someone other than Brad to hang out with. Plus we'll get to show her the city and do some more site seeing ourselves. There's so much to do and see here, I love it!
PS... At the bottom of each blog entry is the opporutnity for you to talk to me by posting a comment. Try it out, I'd love to hear what you've got to say, and to see who all reads this thing.
That kid is getting milk made of gold, and its showing! I just had to take a pic of him in his diaper to prove it and will get it posted ASAP. I remember when Dylan and Riley were about 3 months old and I took a diaper shot of the boys to document their pudginess. Some of you may still have this photo, it was one I sent out with Thank You cards from their showers. The best are the rolls that stack up their little thighs. I wish I could go back to that moment in life where rolls upon rolls isn't a body image issue.
Yesterday after Brady's appointment I swung by a street that was having a bunch of rummage sales for a little break from the kids. The homes on this street were huge and gorgeous... so you'd think nice stuff at the sales, but it wasn't good at all, so I was disappointed. However I did have quite the experience at one of the stops which was a house sitting at the top of the hill. The street was at a very large incline, so much that the sliding van door just shot back when I pulled the handle. I wasn't so sure that it was even safe to park on that kind of incline, but everyone else was so I did. But I was sure to use the emergency brake as a back up.
On the way back to the van was when the view hit me... My gosh it was beautiful. This home had an awesome view of the hillside and lake. I'm finding that
most every where you go in this town, you can find a moment of beauty. This has really summed it up for me, that when looking to buy a house, its got to have a Lake view. Why live in such a beautiful city, and not be able to enjoy it every day of your life? Guess I better start saving now, because you certainly pay for the view. Even if its just a peak of a view from the attic window, at least I'd have a place to go and take it all in?! :-)
Finally the weather is nice around here... today is the second day in the 60's and boy does it feel great to breath that warm air. The boys love being outside, especially when they don't have to wear their jackets and hear me shout "pull up your hood" every 5 minutes. I'm super anxious to get out and stroll the Lake walk now that its warmed up. My mom is coming this weekend for a visit to our new home, and Duluth for the first time. I'm excited to have another adult around the house, and someone other than Brad to hang out with. Plus we'll get to show her the city and do some more site seeing ourselves. There's so much to do and see here, I love it!
PS... At the bottom of each blog entry is the opporutnity for you to talk to me by posting a comment. Try it out, I'd love to hear what you've got to say, and to see who all reads this thing.
May 14, 2008
Duluth Heritage Sports Center
First off… apologies to all my faithful readers. It took much longer than expected to get our internet up and running but as of last night I'm up and running!!! To keep up with recent events I have been journaling on Word to cut and paste, then back dated those entries. But from here on out I should be more up to date.
Today all the boys are napping at the SAME TIME, which allows me to write in peace. But I'm so very tempted to take a nap myself... so I won't be writting much.
I've added the Duluth Heritage Sports Center webpage link to the left, so if you are interested in seeing Brad's rink and learning a little more about it, you can check it out. They have a live web cam too, so you can see whats going on out on the ice. More of the action will be evenings and weekends, but if you coordinated it with Brad he could plan some entertainment for you every once in awhile? I called and asked him to do Chunk's chubby belly dance from Goonies, but he declined.
Tonight we are picnicing down at the lake... The Canadian Snowbirds are putting on a free little airshow over Lake Superior at 5:30 and we are in the 60's today. Wahoo!! Dylan and Riley are begging for McDonalds, but I'm doing it the old fashioned way, and packing our picnic. Not just boring ol sandwhiches either, we'll be having Grilled Chicken Ceasar Pita's, grapes and cheezies. (Pat on the Back, thank you). Not sure where to park down there, and not really looking forward to a van full of crumbs... but it should be a good time anyway.
Today all the boys are napping at the SAME TIME, which allows me to write in peace. But I'm so very tempted to take a nap myself... so I won't be writting much.
I've added the Duluth Heritage Sports Center webpage link to the left, so if you are interested in seeing Brad's rink and learning a little more about it, you can check it out. They have a live web cam too, so you can see whats going on out on the ice. More of the action will be evenings and weekends, but if you coordinated it with Brad he could plan some entertainment for you every once in awhile? I called and asked him to do Chunk's chubby belly dance from Goonies, but he declined.
Tonight we are picnicing down at the lake... The Canadian Snowbirds are putting on a free little airshow over Lake Superior at 5:30 and we are in the 60's today. Wahoo!! Dylan and Riley are begging for McDonalds, but I'm doing it the old fashioned way, and packing our picnic. Not just boring ol sandwhiches either, we'll be having Grilled Chicken Ceasar Pita's, grapes and cheezies. (Pat on the Back, thank you). Not sure where to park down there, and not really looking forward to a van full of crumbs... but it should be a good time anyway.
May 13, 2008
Brady is 2 months old
He's growing so fast! The little chunk is getting nice and chubby these days. His legs are getting rolly and his little wrists are so fat that he's got no wrist, just a deep crease separating his hand from his arm. It was around 6 weeks when he started smiling with cohercion, then just a week later he was giving them out much easier. And today the little guy smiles just when you look at him :-) If only the camera could catch those HUGE smiles. But I got close a few times with these pictures. Just the other day, I think I had a chuckle from him... and Brad says he did too. He said he kinda joked on his laugh and then had this confused look on his face? Too cute.
One of his favorite things these days are laying under his floor gym, watching the star light up and sing. When he's really excited you'll see his arms swinging and legs just a kicking away. And he makes these cute little sounds, as he's talking to his animals. Every once in a while he'll really let out a loud one. He loves to lay on his change table, talking and smiling with you too. Its so much fun to seem him grow and explore.
Another new thing he's discovered is his thumb!!! YIKES 3 thumb suckers! He's got it in there a couple times and will give some good sucks but gets it a little too far back and gags himself. Today he really had it in there and was sucking away, but again I couldn't get the camera there in time. But I'll catch it and get it up on the site. Its just too cute. And although having 3 yr olds who suck there thumb isn't so cool, when they are this little and can comfort themselves, thats a huge perk.
We have found a new pediatrician here in Duluth and will be meeting her tomorrow when we bring Brady in for his 2 month appointment. I'm sad that we had to say goodbye to Dr. Thurlow back in Fargo~ she'll be hard to replace.
May 11, 2008
Happy Mothers Day
Happy Mothers Day! Today my boys took me for a fabulous brunch at Blackwoods on London Road (great Lake Superior view). They got dressed up, and so I myself, had to put aside the sweats and dig out the dress up gear. Thankfully I had some stretchy gauchos that did the trick as I still don’t fit my “normal clothes”… But I have to say it felt good to get all dressed up and feel somewhat sexy again.
The rest of the day was spent around the house. But I did get to put my feet up, as Brad looked after the children and prepared a nice steak dinner for us. He even cleaned up the kitchen afterward! (All this good food today really blew my diet!)
This was the first mothers day were I really felt it…The years before Dylan and Riley were too young to really get the drift, but this year they did. They knew that today was a special day for Mommies and so several times throughout the day (without any prompting), I got hugs, kisses and I Love You’s from them. Too bad it comes only once a year… Mothers Day should be everyday!! Having Brady be part of Mother’s Day this year, was also the icing on the cake. He gives me the feeling of ~ this is my family, we are complete. So please God no more surprises
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
May 10, 2008
Gooseberry Falls
Today we took in the scenic North shore sites and drove out to Gooseberry Falls State Park. This scenic drive takes you along the north shore of Lake Superior all the way to Canada, through several small “villages” that all have their own little neat gift shops, restaurants and touristy things. (We only ventured 50 miles or so up the shore) Along the way there is a stretch were the old highway cuts through some huge rocky hills, taking you through lighted tunnels. Of course the boys thought this was super cool, and giggled as they pulled their sun glasses over their eyes as they pretended to be in a rocket ship. Along the way we made a stop for lunch at the Rustic Inn, which is a very classy, and quant place. In addition to the delicious lunch, they have a list of 15+ fresh homemade pies made daily which seemed their specialty so of course I had to try one. I choose the Raspberry Cream pie, which was absolutely fabulous! Merienge crust, raspberry mousse, warm sour cream and whipped cream topping... Mmmmmm. Hours after we left I was still talking about it! This will definitely be a place to bring out guests.
Just a few miles past the restaurant was Gooseberry Falls State Park, and as you can see in the pictures the scenery is spectacular. (Dylan is in the blue hood and Riley in the white) The big boys enjoyed big waterfall, and hopping over the little streams that ran through the flat rocky area, while Brady took in the fresh air with a good sleep. How lucky are we to have this so near by... The sites around here are certainly a lot different than North Dakota. Despite the cold temps, we had a great time exploring the many trails and views of the Falls, and plan to return when the weather warms up.
Even though the sites were spectacular, the best part of the day, was just being together. The last month has been so chaotic with Brad working 7 days a week for the past 2 weeks we haven’t seen much of him. So to have him for a full day, with no phone calls either, was the best. We missed our Daddy.
May 09, 2008
The outing
The weather is still crummy and in the cool 50’s or rainy, so after a long week of being cooped up I ventured out with the crew to the Children’s Museum. I had been warned that the signage was extremely poor, but knew the general vicinity of the museum so I thought I had it under control. However the extremely poor signage was an understatement…there is NO signage!!! So with 2 anxious boys and a hungry baby in back we circled the block not twice or three times, but four times, before making the 2nd phone call to Brad for directions. Thankfully there was a lady in his office that saved they day, as Dylan and Riley were starting to rub it in… “Mommy we already went this way.” “Can we stop driving around and go in already.”
Ok, so we made it… but before we go in, the little man needed to eat. So there I sat on the floor of the van, discreetly feeding Brady in the parking lot while people wandered by. Thankfully I was smart enough to keep D & R buckled up and had fruit snacks to throw the wild animals, otherwise we could have made quite the scene. After collecting myself and the troops, we venture in, only to find that half of the museum is closed for construction. (Only me) But having come this far I paid my $10 entry fee (like how ridiculous for an adult) and went in any way. Wouldn’t you know the “good” half was the part under construction... So it really was a bust, but at least gave us an hour or so out of the house that day.
By late afternoon, the sun was warming up and it was feeling more like spring, so Brad took us out to Canal Park to have dinner at the Green Mill. I know its sounds like nothing special, but it’s the atmosphere of Canal Park that sets it apart from others… plus they didn’t have a ridiculous wait time to get in. There are so many neat shops and restaurants down there I can’t wait for it to really warm up, and we can spend a sunny day taking it all in. There’s so much to see and so much to do… Its just finding the time, and juggling it with the 3 kids.
Ok, so we made it… but before we go in, the little man needed to eat. So there I sat on the floor of the van, discreetly feeding Brady in the parking lot while people wandered by. Thankfully I was smart enough to keep D & R buckled up and had fruit snacks to throw the wild animals, otherwise we could have made quite the scene. After collecting myself and the troops, we venture in, only to find that half of the museum is closed for construction. (Only me) But having come this far I paid my $10 entry fee (like how ridiculous for an adult) and went in any way. Wouldn’t you know the “good” half was the part under construction... So it really was a bust, but at least gave us an hour or so out of the house that day.
By late afternoon, the sun was warming up and it was feeling more like spring, so Brad took us out to Canal Park to have dinner at the Green Mill. I know its sounds like nothing special, but it’s the atmosphere of Canal Park that sets it apart from others… plus they didn’t have a ridiculous wait time to get in. There are so many neat shops and restaurants down there I can’t wait for it to really warm up, and we can spend a sunny day taking it all in. There’s so much to see and so much to do… Its just finding the time, and juggling it with the 3 kids.
May 05, 2008
Single Parenting
With no real training or transition into his position, Brad has been thrown to the dogs~ fighting them off day and night. I swear his BlackJack rings non-stop as every vendor, news crew and hockey enthusiast has been knocking on his door, wanting a piece of the pie or at least the down low on the Sports Center. Since opening its doors to the public this past Friday the Sports Center is all you hear about around town. The Duluth Heritage Sports Center has been featured in the local newspaper, on multiple news stations (Brad did a live interview), mentioned in other random publications (real estate magazine noted it as a boost to property values in the neighborhood) and casual conversations around town (I heard people talking about it at the grocery store)… And to think Brad is a part of this is pretty neat. Its such a huge step for his career, a huge adjustment for him as well. He was never in the public eye like this, and smoozing with the high rollers he’s met over the past few weeks is out of control. Every day he comes home with a crazy story about the things that have happened or the people he had met that day…I have to admit it makes me a bit jealous as most days I don’t see the outside of our home. Lucky shmuck, he is in the hot seat that I enjoy and envy. Going from career mom to a stay at home mom makes it hard to find the sense of gratification or accomplishment of a job well done. Don’t get me wrong I love spending this time with the boys, and I’m fortunate to have this opportunity, but at the same time I miss the rush of high stress situations and mingling with accomplished persons.
Since I’m on a role with the poor me I better add that its come back to bite me… Not long ago I had been bragging about how content and low maintenance Brady had been during the packing process… well he changed things up for the unpacking process. Since arriving in Duluth he’s been much “different”. I’m thinking its a combination of things… 1- A growth spurt that brings him to eat far too often for my liking. 2- Just wanting more Mommy time. 3- Missing Nana’s soothing songs and rhythmic wandering. 4- The nauseating smell of cardboard. 5- and the sense that something’s up and we aren’t in Fargo anymore. As a result of this we’ve had nighttime feedings every 2 hrs, for the past week, leaving me exhausted. Thankfully during my years of parenting I’ve learned that its not worth fretting over, as this too shall pass.
As I mentioned, because of the high demand at work last week and weekend, Brad hasn’t been home much leaving me with the task of putting our household together while looking after 3 kids. Fortunately I have only experienced a temporary phase of single parenting, as I am whipped at this point. I hate the feeling of chaos, and the disorganized mess around here! As the good wife that I am I have pushed my needs aside to provide a loving and inviting environment for my breadwinner honey. I keep the house as tidy as possible and prepare a delicious supper, ready for him when he gets home. All in hopes of helping him relax a little and enjoy the kids for the few hours he’s got at home that day. This really takes a lot of strength though… Behind all this, what I really what I want to do is shout out commands to “move this, hang that, help find this, or go get that” accompanied by a lecture that he needs to start pulling his weight around the house. But thankfully I’ve kept it together, with the hopes that things will slow down for him soon, and we can have a more normal life around here
Since I’m on a role with the poor me I better add that its come back to bite me… Not long ago I had been bragging about how content and low maintenance Brady had been during the packing process… well he changed things up for the unpacking process. Since arriving in Duluth he’s been much “different”. I’m thinking its a combination of things… 1- A growth spurt that brings him to eat far too often for my liking. 2- Just wanting more Mommy time. 3- Missing Nana’s soothing songs and rhythmic wandering. 4- The nauseating smell of cardboard. 5- and the sense that something’s up and we aren’t in Fargo anymore. As a result of this we’ve had nighttime feedings every 2 hrs, for the past week, leaving me exhausted. Thankfully during my years of parenting I’ve learned that its not worth fretting over, as this too shall pass.
As I mentioned, because of the high demand at work last week and weekend, Brad hasn’t been home much leaving me with the task of putting our household together while looking after 3 kids. Fortunately I have only experienced a temporary phase of single parenting, as I am whipped at this point. I hate the feeling of chaos, and the disorganized mess around here! As the good wife that I am I have pushed my needs aside to provide a loving and inviting environment for my breadwinner honey. I keep the house as tidy as possible and prepare a delicious supper, ready for him when he gets home. All in hopes of helping him relax a little and enjoy the kids for the few hours he’s got at home that day. This really takes a lot of strength though… Behind all this, what I really what I want to do is shout out commands to “move this, hang that, help find this, or go get that” accompanied by a lecture that he needs to start pulling his weight around the house. But thankfully I’ve kept it together, with the hopes that things will slow down for him soon, and we can have a more normal life around here
May 04, 2008
What day is it?
Yeah its been a while since I was last on, but with the move we haven't had the computer accessible and/or the internet for almost 2 weeks. I finally had to ask Brad to sneak me into his office tonight so I could check my email and get somethings done on the internet. Hopefully later this week we'll have the internet hooked up at our townhome.
So I'm sure you are all interested in how the move went? Well first of all another HUGE Thank You needs to go out to Mum and Pops for helping me with the kids and PACKING that whole week leading up to the big day. With Brad in Duluth that week, there's no way I could have pulled it off without their help. After the movers showed up 2 hours late to our home in Duluth they breezed in and out of their leaving me with a maze of boxes to now unpack (without any help- Brad had a full week of work). So piece by piece I've gotten things unpacked, and each day with a pile of boxes at the door for Brad to haul to the dump when he gets home, I eagarly ask him "Does it look any different?" Unfortunately its never a huge transformation (one necessary for a man to notice) but at least it starting to feel more like a home and not a maze of cardboard.
With a long first work week behind him, Brad is looking forward to some normalcy this week, as much as we are looking forward to having our daddy around the house.
So I'm sure you are all interested in how the move went? Well first of all another HUGE Thank You needs to go out to Mum and Pops for helping me with the kids and PACKING that whole week leading up to the big day. With Brad in Duluth that week, there's no way I could have pulled it off without their help. After the movers showed up 2 hours late to our home in Duluth they breezed in and out of their leaving me with a maze of boxes to now unpack (without any help- Brad had a full week of work). So piece by piece I've gotten things unpacked, and each day with a pile of boxes at the door for Brad to haul to the dump when he gets home, I eagarly ask him "Does it look any different?" Unfortunately its never a huge transformation (one necessary for a man to notice) but at least it starting to feel more like a home and not a maze of cardboard.
With a long first work week behind him, Brad is looking forward to some normalcy this week, as much as we are looking forward to having our daddy around the house.
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